The prior art includes numerous designs of Pilates type exercise equipment, beginning with the original U.S. Pat. No. 1,621,477 issued to Pilates for a wheeled platform carriage connected to a resistance device.
A reformer exercise apparatus typically includes a wheeled platform carriage which rides on parallel rails or tracks on a rectangular wooden or metal frame. Most devices employ a series of parallel springs or elastic members which connect the carriage to the foot end of the frame. The springs are manually interchangeable in order to provide a variable resistance.
The carriage typically includes stationary shoulder pads and a head rest. It is desirable to be able to convert the carriage with its raised shoulder pads and a head rest into a flat surface.
A foot bar is located at the foot end of the device so that the user can press one or both feet against the foot bar and push the carriage against the spring resistance. Adjusting the position of the carriage in relation to the foot bar is important to accommodate different body types, and is typically accomplished by manually moving a spring bar into different gear settings at the foot end of the reformer or by adjusting the foot bar position. It is desirable to provide a simple mechanism which allows for gear adjustment without requiring the user to interrupt the flow of exercise to make the necessary adjustment.
Pulleys mounted on pulley risers on support posts are often located at the head end of the reformer frame. The pulleys, themselves, are often adjustable in height during exercises where the user pulls the carriage by means of a rope or strap threaded through the pulley. The prior art pulley systems include swivel pulleys capable of accommodating ropes but not straps. Although a significant contingent of classical trained Pilates practitioners prefer the usage of flat straps, rather than ropes, the equipment typically provides only stationary, non-swivel casters or rollers when using flat straps. It is desirable to provide a fully articulating swivel pulley for straps as well as for ropes, thereby enabling the user to pull the carriage through its entire path without the binding and dragging of straps which typically occurs between the pulley and its bracket in the stationary design. It is also desirable to provide a swivel pulley which can be accommodated by a pulley riser system, and thereby allow the user to adjust the height position, as is currently available with rope systems.
Reformers are usually over 7 feet in length, and commercial models exist either as stationary units, or stackable units. The stationary units are difficult, impractical or time-consuming to move. Wheels have been added to the legs of such stationary units, but are of limited value, as they are bulky and ungainly to move, while the large amount of space required for the footprint of the unit remains the same. Stackable units typically require at least two persons to break down and stack in another location, or on a rolling cart, which then is wheeled to another location. It is, therefore, desirable to provide a device that can be folded into a minimal, space-saving footprint, which can be transported, if desired, by one individual.
It is desirable from the standpoint of economy of cost and space to provide a integrated Pilates machine which combines three Pilates machines—reformer, pole system and chair in one footprint, thus enabling the user to perform in this one machine most of the exercises in the full Pilates repertoire. In the current invention, the user can with no or very little compromise, and with ease of transition, perform exercises in the reformer mode, the pole system mode, and in a mat flat padded platform mode; and can perform a substantial number of chair exercises.
The prior art includes referenced to hinged or foldable frames. U.S. Pat. No. 3,770,267 issued to McCarthy describes an exercise machine without legs, which has a foldable frame. U.S. Pat. No. 4,706,953 issued to Graham describes an exercise machine which is collapsible by folding and by telescopic joints to make it more compact for transport and storage. U.S. Pat. No. 6,186,929 B1 issued to Endelman et al. describes a reformer apparatus with a two-part rail with a tongue connector. That patent includes a brief reference to an alternate embodiment where the tongues may include a hinged portion which permits the rail sections to be pulled apart and folded for transport.
The prior art includes references to wheels on the platform. U.S. Pat. No. 2,733,922 issued to Diego describes an exercise platform with four retractable wheels. The '929 patent describes a foldable reformer with no legs and two fixed wheels at the foot of the device.
Several prior art patents describe headrests on the carriage including the '922 patent, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,884,802 issued to Graham. U.S. Pat. No. 5,338,278 issued to Endelman describes a 4-position headrest. U.S. Pat. No. 5,681,249 issued to Endelman describes a removable headrest.
The prior art includes various footbar support designs. U.S. Pat. No. 1,738,987 issued to Dattilo describes a footbar with a pivot. The '922 patent and U.S. Pat. No. 5,066,005 issued to Luecke describe slots to adjust the footbar. The '278 patent describes a 2-way adjustment with a kick plate. U.S. Pat. No. 5,364,327 issued to Graham describes a kick plate which is adjustable along the track. U.S. Pat. No. 5,607,381 issued to Endelman describes a 2 position reversible bar on a metal frame. U.S. Pat. No. 5,653,670 issued to Endelman describes an adjustable bar and plate. The '249 patent describes a footbar which pivots for storage.
The prior art includes various designs of spring bar adjustment mechanism including the '249 patent which describes a rod and bracket, the '267 patent which describes a spring adjustment; the '987 patent; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,792,033 issued to Merrithew. U.S. Pat. No. 6,120,425 issued to Endelman describes a combination of anchor bar and carriage stop.
The prior art includes various designs of risers and pulleys including the '005 patent, the '278 patent, and the '922 patent which describes handbars. U.S. Pat. No. 3,586,322 issued to Kverneland describes an auxiliary frame. The '929 patent describes removable, non-adjustable risers.
The '249 patent describes panels on either side of carriage so that the carriage may be converted to a flat bench.
The present invention provides an attractive, durable, versatile, space-saving, and cost-saving commercial Pilates machine, which may be easily folded in to a minimal footprint and transported and stored out of the way.